Mass Effect: Interim: Jane
by axismundix
Summary: Her brother killed in action, Jane Shepard has a new mission. Working with a new, secret ally, she must do what she can to prepare the galaxy for the Reaper threat. Assuming she doesn't get herself killed first.
1. 01 Game On

"Ma'am, you can't go in there! Ma'am!" The receptionist protested as Jane brushed past the man, and keyed open the door to Admiral Hackett's office.

"I see she hasn't heard the news yet?" Councilor Anderson's hologram said, smirking slightly. "I think I'll just let you get to it."

As the hologram winked out, Admiral Hackett frowned at the terminal, before looking up to Jane.

"Want to tell me why I've been relieved of my command?" Jane demanded as she slapped her hand down on Hackett's desk. "And, maybe, why my ship and crew have been isolated?"

"Ma'am! I'm calling security!" the receptionist threatened as he brought up his omnitool.

"It's fine Terrance," Hackett grunted waving at the man. "Lock the door on your way out and cancel the meetings for this afternoon."

"But...sir!" lieutenant Terrance Phillips protested.

"Just do it," Hackett shot the man a look that made the younger man swallow hard.

"Yes, sir," Terence said quietly, leaving quickly.

Jane stood staring at the Admiral as the lieutenant left, pure hostility in her gaze.

With a deep sigh, Hackett gestured to the seats in front of his desk. "How about you take a seat?" he suggested. "This will take a while."

"Take a while?" Jane asked incredulous. "What is there to say? My brother gets killed, so Joker and two of my best engineers are discharged. Now, even after I agreed to play ball, and shit on my brother's name, I'm being thrown under the bus."

Then, leaning over the table, Jane's fists clenched tightly as she struggled to contain her anger. "The _least_ you could have done is warn me it was coming."

"Enough!" Hackett snarled, and stood with a speed the was surprising for a man of his age. "You will sit the fuck down, Captain. And you will goddamn listen to your orders!"

Having pulled back in surprise, Jane's eyes widened. In the years she had known the man, Jane had never really seen him lose his temper. To say that she was startled, would have been an understatement.

"And what orders are those, Admiral?" Jane said tightly as she slowly sank into one of the chairs, her own anger began to override her surprise.

Hackett stood for a moment staring down at the woman before his expression shifted back to his normal neutral look. "If you had waited, you would have received your order to meet with me on the Perugia for a debrief."

Jane's eyes narrowed as she the Admiral sat in his seat and set his clasped hands upon his desk. "My ship...the Perugia...is in security lockdown."

"Yes, it is," Hackett sighed. "Jane, I know you are under a lot of pressure right now, but these outbursts are not helping your cause any."

"I don't-!" Jane started, her anger nearly boiling over before she managed to cut herself off.

"Now," Hackett spoke, cutting off Jane before she had a chance to gather her wits. "You are, officially, on administrative leave and will be living on your family's farm in Washington State. Occasionally, you will be checking in here to me, personally."

Jane felt her eyebrow twitch as she slumped back in her chair, confusion written clearly on her face. "Officially…?" she muttered.

"Also," Hackett continued, ignoring Jane's comment. "Officially, the SSV Perugia will be in a secured dry dock receiving some major upgrades to it's engine core, weapons, as well as some more top secret things I am not allowed to divulge."

The last part of Hackett's speech was punctuated by the man sliding a real, honest to goddess, paper folder to her. The cover had the words 'Top Secret' stamped in red.

With a small frown, Jane picked the folder up, opening it as she glanced at the Admiral, who watched her silently.

The first thing Jane saw inside was a picture of her ship, the SSV Perugia. However, in the image, the ship was encapsulated inside a structure that resemble a giant ribcage. Behind her, and seen through the 'ribs' of the structure sat what appeared to be a large number of ships from, what appeared to be, every known species.

"Is this...Is this the quarian Migrant Fleet?" Jane glanced up at the Admiral.

"Keep reading," Hackett said in response, his expression unreadable.

"Right…" Jane muttered turning back to the folder.

As she read, Jane felt herself more, and more confused. Andromeda Initiative? What the hell was that? What the hell was _her_ ship doing with the Quarian Fleet?

"Wait," Jane looked back to Hackett. "The Perugia is now a quarian ship? I was only off her for one month!"

"Yes, officially, the SSV Perugia has been sold to the quarian Migrant Fleet and will be added to the Fleet roster, and officially operate under a quarian flag," Hackett nodded. "Officially, your crew has been reassigned across the galaxy, to colonies and isolated listening posts that don't exist."

"Don't exist?" Jane shook her head. "Sold to the quarians…."

Jane's mind rolled the facts around over and over, but the conclusions she kept returning to made no sense. And at the heart of it was this...Andromeda Initiative.

Grinning, Hackett watched Jane struggle with the mystery, relishing in the rather rare instances where he got to get one over on her.

"It's exactly what you are thinking," Hackett said, taking pity on the poor Captain.

"You've made an unofficial alliance with the quarian Fleet. The Perugia has been 'sold' to them. Probably with several other Alliance ships," Jane closed her eyes as she processed her thoughts. "The Cape Town was salvaged by the quarians, there was a small controversy when they were granted the right. Frigates Agincourt and Dunkirk, older design but dropped form the fleet list suddenly...probably also sold to the quarians. Not sure how many other ships are gone. But my crew and I are going to be crewing the Perugia, most likely. Something black ops, I assume?"

Shaking his head, Hackett chuckled. "Almost everything right," he said. You and your crew will be joined by the other ships that _have_ been turned over to the quarians. Together you will be a new Corsair fleet."

"Allright…." Jane sat up again and shook her head. "And this Andromeda Initiative?"

"Private endeavour that is being backed by every race in Citadel Space, and a few that aren't," Hackett said nodding back to the folder. "Details are in the folder. Short version, they are giving tech to the Corsair fleet to test in the field."

Glancing through the papers, Jane stopped dead when she saw a specific name.

"Ryder," she said quietly. "This is going to be….interesting."

* * *

Andromeda Initiative Drydock, Keelah Si'yah

"Unknown shuttle, please identify," a male quarian voice came through the comms of the military shuttle that had been 'decommissioned' for Jane's use.

"I am Jane'Shepard nar Einstein, returning from Pilgrimage," Jane smirked with a slight head shake. She wasn't quite sure how this thin cover was going to work, but at least it was kinda fun.

"Acknowledged," the reply came quickly. "You read as Alliance, please verify."

Jane grinned to herself as she heard the quarian Captain's skepticism. It was fairly obvious that her name and birth ship name was not of the quarian Fleet.

"Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference," Jane replied. It was one of her favorite poems and, she felt, was fairly fitting for the circumstances.

There was a short pause before the challenging Captain came back. "Acknowledged," the man said warmly. "You are cleared for passage, and welcome back to the fleet, sister."

"Pleased to be here," jane said as she throttled up her ship. "If you could point me to the Neema, I would appreciate it."

"Of course," the quarian said. "1-12 28 mark 6620 by 4172. The Neema's ship time is three hours behind us at 0650."

"Much appreciated," Jane turned her shuttle to the proper heading.

"Also," the captain spoke up again. "I enjoyed your pass phrase. Maybe at some time you will be able to tell me the rest of it."

"I'd love to," Jane chuckled. "If you are particularly unlucky, perhaps I'll tell you some of my personal works."

"I look forward to it, Sellfast, signing off," the captain laughed warmly. "Keelah Se'lai."

Neema, Quarian Battleship

"Welcome aboard," Tali'Zorah said, bowing her head slightly before holding out her hand, in the human fashion. "Admiral Han'Gerrel thought a known face...er...well, person, I suppose...anyway...that a known quantity would be calming."

With a smile, Jane took the proffered hand in a quick shake before bowing slightly, as Tali had.

"It is much appreciated," Jane said as she looked the quarian woman over. "New suit?"

Slightly startled, Tali looked herself over before nodding again. "Ah...yes. Returning from my Pilgrimage means I am officially an adult by our standards. Thus, we receive our adult suits."

I see," Jane nodded slightly as she looked harder at the quarian. "And how are you handling it?"

Caught slightly off guard, Tali started. Suddenly, she could hear the burning of the ship around her, feel the dull explosions around her, the shuddering of the deck as chunks were cut from the fuselage.

Wrex was picking her up as she struggled, screaming at him to let her go. How she had to save Shepard.

Then...the voice. Shepard choking. His last desperate cries, as he begged for more time….

"Tali!" Jane said loudly, her hand coming down on the quarian's shoulder "Tali! Are you alright?"

Gasping, Tali shook her head and looked back at Jane, time returning to the present.

"Yes...I'm alright," Tali coughed, trying to hide the tears that rolled down her face. "I'm sorry, it's still….difficult."

"I'm sorry, Tali, I should have thought that through," Jane frowned as she stepped back. "Losing your ship has to be hard."

"I...yes," Tali nodded, deciding to leave it at that. This Shepard had lost her brother. A closer tie than just a crewmate, as Tali had been. "Shall I take you to the Admiral?"

Jane looked at Tali for a moment before nodding "Yes, let's do that."

* * *

"Well...I should start with greeting you and congratulating you for returning with the Pilgrimage Gift that you have. A military shuttle is impressive," Han'Gerrel nodded to the datapad in his hands. "I honestly didn't expect one fully armed and armored like this."

Shrugging slightly, Jane chuckled. "I actually had to pull some strings. I figured with our particular...arrangement, we could use all the things we could get. I also pulled the seating from the cargo area and filled it with weapons and armor."

"Heh," Han'Gerrel laughed. "Well done, well done. I'm looking forward to seeing what you have for us. But let's get down to business, as you humans say." Han gestured to the seat before his desk as he sat in his own.

"Of course, Admiral," Jane nodded as she sat and crossed her legs.

"Normally, I'd say you should take your Gift to the captain of your new Pledge Ship, but seeing as how you are jumping straight to captain of the ship, that particular tradition os out the window," Han'Gerrel said shaking his head slightly. "However, that is a major exception to a great many traditions."

"I'm sorry for that, Admiral," Jane said. "I also have to admit, my briefing was not exactly the most in depth. I was told I would receive more information when I arrived."

"Indeed," Han'Gerrel said, picking up a different datapad. "You are being given back command of the Perugia, which I believe you were aware of?" Han paused long enough for Jane to nod. "The ship, itself is still being upgraded. The Andromeda people have finished the drive core upgrade and are installing the improved guns now. And...the stealth system."

Jane blinked for a moment surprised. "Wait...what?"

"Didn't see that coming did you?" Han laughed. "The six ships you will be given command of are all being given the new drive cores Andromeda has cooked up. Something called ODSY drive system. From what I am seeing, you will not have to discharge your core like normal, and will be able to go much longer without refueling. This actually opened up the slots to add stealth heatsinks as part of the system that will process the drive static."

"Well," Jane frowned slightly. "That is well out of my technical knowledge. I think you lost me at 'have a seat'."

"Yeah," Han sighed, looking at the datapad. "I'm a marine at heart. Even with the ship knowledge all quarian's have, this is mostly lost on me."

"How much time will I have to learn it all," Jane said, her eyes moving back and forth as she thought furiously. " I would guess at least six standard months for full install and balancing. Not sure the status of the other ships, especially the Cape Town…."

"Well…" Han'Gerrel tilted his head. "You are as clever as I had been told. Yes, the Perugia will be done in seven months. The other ships should be ready within two months of that. Including the Cape Town. Your crew from the Perugia have been working with my people, learning the customs they will need."

"And teaching your people what they will need for the human ships," Jane nodded. "You said six ships. That would mean the Perugia, the Cape Town, the Agincourt, the Dunkirk are being joined by two of your ships?"

"Yes," Han'Gerrel picked up a few datapads before finding the one he was looking for and passed it to Jane. "The picket ship Sellfast, who greeted you on your arrival. Also you will be given the heavy cruiser Die'Awa."

Looking down, Jane considered. "A heavy cruiser from the Fleet is no small investment. Crew?"

"You know your people from the Perugia, of course," Han'Gerrel handed Jane yet another datapad. "They will be supplemented by a Migrant Fleet Marine platoon and a small group of engineers. We have also received a number of Alliance people who will be a fifty fifty mix on the other ships with my people. The humans have been getting used to living within environmental suits for the last several months. It's been...interesting."

"Heh, I just bet it has," Jane chuckled, looking over the list. "Looks like they just added some systems from your people's suits to human ones, in most cases."

"Yes," Han'Gerrel said, tilting his head in amusement. "You, however, are going to be given a true quarian suit. Seeing as how you've brought a Pilgrimage Gift and proven yourself an adult."

"Well…" Jane stopped short. "You're...not kidding are you?"

"Not even a little bit," Han'Gerrel grinned.


	2. 02 All in the Timing

With a frown, Jane dropped her datapad into her lap as her head dropped back to clack quietly against the port window behind her.

Honestly, she had probably one of the best quarters on the Andromeda drydock. Outside her window was the hulking ship that was the ark for the mixed races. Or, as the Council liked to call them, the lesser races.

With a quiet growl, Jane smashed her fist into the wall. _Lesser races. Council fucks…_

Closing her eyes, Jane took a deep breath and slowly calmed her heart. Hestalia had taught both her and Jay-Jay….Of course...now it was just her….

"Fuck!" Jane shouted as she surged to her feet, dropping her datapad to the floor of her small nine foot by nine foot quarters.

Stomping around in small circles, Jane continued to curse the Council, her brother, the Geth, Saren and even herself. Especially herself.

"Captain Shepard," a synthetic voice spoke, stopping Jane in her tracks. "I am reading elevated heart rhythm, increased blood pressure as well as stress indicators. Are you alright?"

Scowling up at the ceiling, Jane grunted quietly. "I'm fine Sam. Shouldn't you be, I don't know, Working on the Keelah Si'Yah?"

"I am," Sam stated flatly. "I am the operations VI in charge of this station. At the moment, while your squadron is retro-fitted, I am also monitoring the human crew as they adjust to the quarian style environmental suits."

Shaking her head, Jane looked down at her hands. They were covered in the same material as Tali, Xera, and the rest of the quarians. Hers was, of course, different.

Flexing her fingers, Jane chuckled as she recalled her, seemingly endless, sessions with the quarian Suit Makers Guild.

" _Five fingers?"_ the old female had said, shaking her head dejectedly. " _What could you possibly need to hold that is important enough to need five fingers? And they are so small…."_

" _Hah,"_ another, much younger female had laughed and pointed at Jane's feet. " _You want small? Look at her stubby toes? What are even the point of those?"_

" _Full boot,"_ the male that was measuring her said quietly. " _They are not climbers, or runners."_

" _You know…."_ Jane had said _. "I am right here."_

The three suit makers looked at her for a moment before the elder female shook her head. " _I will tell you the same thing we tell everybody that comes in here."_

" _Yeah?"_ Jane couldn't help but add a little challenge into her voice. " _And what is that?"_

" _No talking!"_

Shaking the memories away, Jane picked the datapad up off the floor and looked at the vocabulary words upon it.

"Sam….I don't have the gift for languages John had. I have to actually work at it," Jane sat again on the small cot that was under the viewport. "I don't know how I am going to get through this."

"I am sorry to say that is beyond my programming," Sam replied in the same tone he always had. "If I may, may I suggest speaking with someone? Tali'Zorah is not currently on the Fleet, but the medical officer assigned to you, Xera'Raan is aboard."

For a moment, Jane stood staring blankly at the datapad before shaking herself. "Actually, Can you see if Xera can see me at her first opportunity?"

"Yes, Captain."

* * *

"Looks pretty good," Xera'Raan said, nodding, as she tapped away on her omnitool. "Your body is handling the suit well. Not seeing any chafing or rashes like your people seem to develop wearing the modified Alliance bodysuits."

Chuckling, Jane shrugged. "Well, quarians are the masters of suits after all," Jane gestured down at her own enviro-suit. "Honestly, it feels amazing. The insides lining feels kinda like actual skin."

With a laugh of her own, Xera shut down her omnitool. "Well, we are in it our entire lives, almost. Now...what did you really call me here for?"

Caught off guard, Jane blinked for a moment before sighing. "Getting a little stir-crazy. It's not really the suit, or the quarters, I can handle that. It's the…" Jane trailed off waving her hand in small circles.

"It's the studying, isn't it?" Xera said tilting her head as she pointed to the datapad Jane had attempted to hide under her pillow.

"Well…" Jane began guiltily. "That certainly isn't helping…."

"Tell you what," Xera said, picking up the pad and giving it a look over. "You show me what you're having problems with, and I'll help you. We can even start with anatomy, if you want."

Taking the pad back, Jane narrowed her eyes at the small quarian, before looking down at the datapad and the files Xera had brought up.

"Yaszil'jes….artery...inside of the leg…." Jane tilted her head as she thought. "Like in humans?"

"Pretty much, runs here," Xera confirmed as she stuck out her legs and ran a finger along the inside of her thigh and up to her groin.

"I...um…." Jane followed the finger as her mouth went a little dry. "Yes...it's very nice…."

"Hmm?" Xera looked up from her leg. "What was that?"

"Oh...um...nothing," Jane coughed as she turned back to the datapad. It was not the first time that she had been glad the visor on her helmet was opaque. "So...there is one on the outside as well?"

Xera's head tilted in the way that Jane had come to recognize as a signal that she was smiling. "Yup! Runs on the outer side, right here." Xera stepped forward and placed her foot next to Jane, resting on the cot. Then, slowly, Xera ran a finger lightly up the outside of her leg.

"It' very...lovely… I mean!" Jane shook her head slightly as she sat back against the wall. "It's interesting! Ah….that wasn't much better….."

"Hmmm…" Xera paused, her leg still brought up next to Jane. Then, slowly leaning forward, Xera tapped the datapad, bringing up another word. "Maybe try this one."

Blinking, Jane desperately tore her eyes away from the female and looked at the datapad in her hands, thankful for having anything else to look to.

"It says… Biea…." Jane opened the definition before her eyes shot open wide and she looked up to see Xera's visor less than six inches from her own. Close enough that Jane could make out the wide, seductive smile under the softly glowing eyes.

Making a quick tap on her omnitool, Xera touched Jane's helmet lightly, bringing up a new program in the suit's systems that Jane hadn't seen before.

"That is the nerve stim program. We have the deluxe model," Xera purred as she leaned further toward Jane, showing just how flexible quarians could be. "If you want… I can show you what the word means….."

Slowly, Jane reached up to her own omnitool and hit a single button.

'Accept'

* * *

*beep*

*beep*

*beep*

Jane groaned quietly as her omnitool continued to signal that she had an incoming message.

*beep*

"It's your personal line," Xera mumbled, where she lay on top of Jane. "Either answer it, or I will."

"You just said it was my personal line," Jane chuckled quietly.

"Yes...but I'm quarian," Xera sighed nuzzling into Jane's side.

*beep*

With a groan, Jane accepted the incoming message. "Keelah En'tall."

"Uh...Jane?" it was a dual toned male voice. Turian. Something in the background sounded like...gunfire?"

"Yeah, yeah, it's Jane," she sat up abruptly, nearly dumping Xera onto the floor with a squeak. "Garrus? Are you alright?"

"Well….I've been better, how..hang on…" a pair of high caliber shots rang out. "There, uh...how are you doing?"

"Doing much better than you, from the sound of it," Jane said as she scooped the small quarian up and deposited her on the inside of the small cot. Then turning, she stood quickly. "Tell me what I can do."

"Well…" Garrus started, before being cut off by rounds striking a hard surface near him. "I could use your tactical brilliance about now."

"Seriously?" Jane grunted as she began to pace. "You call me in a firefight so I can give you advice?"

"Something like that," Garrus chuckled. "I am in Omega. Myself and another moron," Jane heard a muffled 'hey!'. "We got into a shootout with some Blue Suns that were trafficking slaves. They chased us to subzone...B."

"Garrus, i don't know what I can," Jane turned to see Xera standing next to her, the quarian bringing up a diagram of the station. "Hang on….Okay..subzone B, you said? Where exactly."

"Uh...Looks like…" Garrus paused, presumably to look around. "I see a door, it's big has the words 'Act Pac R'. Bunch of faded letters."

Looking down at Xera's tool as the she focused on the a specific spot on the station. "Okay...I got it. Is the enemy coming from corridor Alpha?"

"Sidonis?" Garrus asked, before a muffled affirmative came back. "Yeah, they are in corridor Alpha."

"Good, good," Jane nodded, her hand lightly squeezing Xera's shoulder.

"Good?" Garrus nearly squaked.

"Yes, good, means I have a way out for you," Jane nodded, even if Garrus couldn't see it. "Look to your left. There should be a shoot, you see it?"

"Yes…" Garrus said, his voice low. "Jane...that's a garbage shoot."

"Yup," Jane grinned, pushing as much of her humor into her voice as she could. "And you are going down it."

"...Why?"

"So you can live," Jane grunted as she began to pace again. "Do you have any grenades?"

"Hang on," Garrus paused for a moment as more gunfire rang out. "Looks like we have three high explosive."

Chuckling, Jane let out a wide toothy grin. "Excellent….here's what you do…"

In her excitement, Jane didn't notice the small shiver that ran through Xera at the sight of her nearly inhuman smile.

* * *

Quarain Lexicon

 **Yaszil'jies, Yaszil'ahs:** The two primary arteries supplying blood to the legs. **'jies** \- inner and **'ahs** \- outer. The two arteries provide maximum oxygenated blood to the powerful thigh muscles for extreme but short lived bursts of speed. The femoral artery in humans.

 **Biea:** Other authors haven't said, and neither will I.

Keelah En'tall: Standard greeting for a vid or audio call. Like saying hello when the phone is answered. Literally: Welcome to my voice.


End file.
